2 June 2015 No 14 ISSN 1664-7963

Current Concerns PO Box CH-8044 Zurich Current Concerns Switzerland The international journal for independent thought, ethical standards, moral responsibility, Phone: +41 44 350 65 50 Fax: +41 44 350 65 51 and for the promotion and respect of public international law, human rights and humanitarian law

E-Mail: [email protected] Website: www.currentconcerns.ch English Edition of Zeit-Fragen

What’s going on in Macedonia? by Karl Müller

14 years ago, in 2001, when the small said the country wants to join NATO. trading centre for drug shipments to Eu- Balkan country of Macedonia, border- However, the government of the coun- rope. During the raid in Kumanovo there ing Serbia in the north and Greece in the try is not supporting the sanctions against was an hour-long firefight in which 22 south, was in the headlines for months. Russia by the US government and the EU. people died, including 8 policemen. The country was in danger of drifting Instead, it has agreed to build a transit Western media commented on the into a civil war. Macedonian KLA (Kos- route in Macedonia for Russia’s planned events in different ways. Some spoke of ovo Liberation Army) fighters, supported pipeline through Turkey (Turkish Stream). too hard an attack by the Macedonian se- by the Kosovar organisation of the same The pipeline route through Turkey had curity forces, which had been ethnically name and also by US intelligence agencies been negotiated between Russia and Tur- motivated and directed against the eth- and the US military, shattered Macedonia key early in 2015. It is to be built instead nic Albanian population. Others claim the through terrorist attacks and aggression of South Stream, whose originally planned prime minister of the country stage-man- against the country’s police and military. route through Bulgaria, for the purpose of aged the firefights in Kumanovo in order KLA fighters and a major part of West- transporting Russian natural gas to South to divert attention from his own problems ern politicians and media then spoke of Eastern Europe and as far as Austria with- and the dissatisfaction of the population. a legitimate fight against the discrimina- out hindrance, has been hampered by the Moreover, Richard Howitt of the Socialist tion of the ethnic Albanian population in EU. Macedonia is very important as a Group in the European Parliament thinks the country, other voices placed KLA vi- transit country for the pipeline.1 that the citizens of Macedonia have suf- olence, similar to the situation in Kosovo, Since two weeks Macedonia has re- fered a trauma after the fighting in Ku- in a larger geopolitical context. In August turned into the headlines. The reason was manovo. 2001, the parties agreed on a deal that a local police raid in the town of Kumano- Interestingly, however, even former entitled the ethnic Albanian population vo. There are former KLA fighters who KLA fighter and current government to social and political privileges. Today, were said to have planned attacks. Most member Ali Ahmeti admitted in an inter- one of the former leading KLA fighters, likely, they are also involved in drug traf- view with the Austrian newspaper “Die Ali Ahmeti, is part of the country’s gov- ficking. The city is considered as a stopo- Presse” (19.5.2015): “I cannot deny that ernment. ver for drug shipments coming from Af- we know some of the people who were in- During the past 14 years, it has been ghanistan. It is situated very close to the volved. Some of them were former mem- quiet around the country. Since 2005 Mac- border with Serbia, but also close to the edonia is candidate for the EU. It is even border with Kosovo, which is the main continued on page 2 Despotism is certainly no peace concept by Willy Wimmer, former Secretary of State in the German Ministry of Defence and Vice-President of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly Macedonia, who? been talk about Great-Albania again, since 4. Shaping the Balkans’ structure in such Only weeks ago it was an open secret that Albanian fighters a way that any factual or only suspect- that was the ques- in Macedonia enjoyed the open and secret ed influence of Russia or the Russian tion asked by military support by the US-Army and fur- Federation would just evaporate. many when re- ther American government departments. 5. As we could experience at the times ports about the These forces had been armed and trained of the “Wehrmacht”, this depend- flare-up of fight- by those who knew how to enforce their ed on what ethnic group on the Bal- ing in a Macedo- interests even before the Kosovo war by kans would be able to obtain a power- nian town with using the Kosovan KLA (Kosovo Libera- ful ally abroad that would serve their many dead and tion Army) for their ends. Thereby the tar- own interests, in order to unite these injured dominat- gets had become obvious for everybody. interests with those of the mighty ally Willy Wimmer (picture ma) ed our weekend 1. Development and future state struc- against everybody else. Naturally, the news. Throughout ture should depend on the will of one neighbours were the victims. the years Macedonia had got into the shad- single nation – the USA. 6. Realising the model that the Baltic states ow of Western European attention. Howev- 2. The European’s task was to be wran- successfully enforced towards their own er, that was a different story, when after the gling with each other alternatingly minorities: These states’ model consists end of military conflicts about the Kosovo, and to be submissive and subservient of denying their own minorities any fighting had flared up aiming at the further to American interests. legal status inside the country, compa- separation of ethnic groups in Macedo- 3. By no means should a satisfying solu- rable to European standards. Any at- nia, the state neighbouring the Kosovo in tion that would balance interests be al- the South. It was the time, when there had lowed, as you never know …. continued on page 2 No 14 2 June 2015 Current Concerns Page 2

”What’s going on …” larly politicians from the European Parlia- on 20 May: “The crisis in the country in- continued from page 1 ment are flaunting: The integration process creasingly worries the US government. The in the EU, so the MP of the European Peo- US government was closely observing the bers of the KLA.” But only to attack Rus- ple’s Party in the European Parliament, Ed- events in Macedonia, said the spokesman sia right afterwards saying: “My concern ward Kukan, was one of the important in- of the US State Department Jeff Rathke. is also why Moscow has made an issue of struments that could help to overcome the The authorities would have to examine the it. Russia’s Foreign Minister Lavrov said crisis. The European Commission called accusations against the government, which the Euro-Atlantic enlargement in the Bal- on the Macedonian government to come resulted ‘from recent revelations’.” kans was a provocation for Russia. And back onto the “right track”, i.e. towards EU On the other hand, the report on the a few days ago Lavrov asserted during a membership and EU policy. Swiss website “Schweizer Magazin” is in- visit to Serbia, the incidents in Macedonia Critical voices from Russia and from teresting, as well. In an article about the had been provoked by NATO, the EU and Serbia – where the operations in Macedo- demonstrations against the Macedoni- Washington. I firmly reject that.” nia are observed with the utmost concern, an government on 20 May it reads: “Last In fact, the Russian Foreign Minister al- also by the government – are, however, dis- weekend, several thousand demonstrators ready expressed several times that the re- missed as “conspiracy theory” – for exam- were hauled out to the place from all cor- try of a “colored revolution” was behind the ple by the “Deutsche Presseagentur” (dpa, ners of the country, many of whom were events in Macedonia (see text on page 3). German Press Agency) on 19 May, or by even paid 500 denars for displaying their A few days after the fighting in Kumano- the newspaper “Die Welt” on 20 May – demonstration enthusiasm. Instructed by vo, there were demonstrations against the and are even turned into their opposite. It George Soros the media were asked to Prime Minister in the country’s capital and is said that Russia wants to snatch Mace- present the number of demonstrators as the demand for his resignation and new donia from the Western Alliance and split ‘100,000’ by using skillful camera angles.” elections. In Western media, for exam- up the Western alliance. This is spread, for In addition, the government opponents are ple the internationally broadcast Deutsche instance, by the SPD politician and for- said to have employed gangs of thugs. Welle, these protests are praised to the mer parliamentary secretary in the German Anyway, there are good reasons to get skies as an expression of democratic rebel- Ministry of Defence Walter Kolbow. Kol- a more accurate picture, which goes be- lion. The Prime Minister is accused of ille- bow was parliamentary secretary under the yond the reports of the Western mainstream gal wiretapping and corruption. Criticism German Defence Minister Rudolf Scharp- media. This is the purpose of the following of the government leaders and demands ing of the SPD, who in 1999 was one of compilation to form a first impression. • for fundamental policy changes are also the German spokesmen for the illegal war the tenor of the opinions voiced by the EU against Yugoslavia, which violated interna- 1 An extensive analysis on the significance of the and the US. Louder than in recent years, a tional law. Even the US government is very Balkans for European energy supply is provid- ed by Jens Berger in his article “Europa und der forthcoming EU membership of the coun- interested in the small country in the Bal- kalte Pipelinekrieg”, www.nachdenkseiten.de, try is requested by EU politicians. Particu- kans. The German channel n-tv.de reported 20.5.2015

”Despotism is certainly …” economic development, we should defi- continued from page 1 nitely no longer believe any of such as- Current Concerns sertions by European top representatives. The international journal for independent tempt to improve the minority’s legal People taking to the streets following thought, ethical standards, moral responsibility, status from outside was re-interpreted such slogans should be sure of one thing: and for the promotion and respect as “Russian threat” and the Baltic igno- They are running after arguments to be of public international law, human rights and humanitarian law rance was sheltered under the umbrel- found in certain media slip boxes, argu- la of NATO Article 5. The Baltic states ments that even the authors themselves do Publisher: Zeit-Fragen Cooperative have perfected the procedure but this not believe in. Editor: Erika Vögeli can be done in other places as well. There are rumors that seem more like- Address: Current Concerns, 7. The state of “visible fragility” for ly to be true: that the fighting is to take P.O. Box, CH-8044 Zurich Macedonia must be kept up by all influence on the not completely estab- Phone: +41 (0)44 350 65 50 means, involving the Greek attitude to lished plans for the construction of a Rus- Fax: +41 (0)44 350 65 51 not even grant their relatives a secured sian pipeline for gas supply to Southern E-Mail: [email protected] state name, so that internationally the Europe. Since NATO, EU and the whole Subscription details: impression is reinforced that the cake world cannot offer any perspective to those published regularly electronically as PDF file has not yet been finally shared. states after the Lehman Brothers crisis, it is Annual subscription rate of SFr. 40,-, € 30,-, £ 25,-, $ 40,- The state obedient media in our countries well-understood that they have become ad- for the following countries: did not cover those bloody events in the dicted to Russian financial advances. Why Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brunei, Canada, Balkan state, so the gentle public could drowning in Western hopelessness when Cyprus, , Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hongkong, Iceland, Ireland, Israel, Italy, not expect to be informed about the real the sun is rising – as it used to rise – in the Japan, Kuwait, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Nether- and alleged causes for the conflict. Al- East again? In view of these circumstanc- lands, New Zealand, Norway, Qatar, Singapore, legedly it is all about fighting corruption, es, the Macedonian fighting might be the Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Arab ­Emirates, a corruption that everybody on the Bal- first signal that the conclict has reached a United Kingdom, USA kans might be suspected of. However, new front, which becomes clear when pay- Annual subscription rate of SFr. 20,-, € 15,-, £ 12,50, $ 20,- this cannot be a reason to take influence ing attention to the statements of the Ser- for all other countries. for NATO and EU consorters, since eve- bian President Nicolic about Kosovo’s re- Account: Postscheck-Konto: PC 87-644472-4 rybody on this globe knows pretty well, claim. The faultline on the Balkans will The editors reserve the right to shorten letters to how fervently they have just embosomed show a different pattern in future. Who has the editor. Letters to the editor do not necessarily the Ukrainian corruption. After witness- backed which side? And who will be suc- reflect the views and opinions of Current Concerns. ing that a German Foreign Minister de- cessful? Moscow is back again, for it was © 2015. All rights reserved. No reproduction, copy or clared heroin production in Afghanistan never gone! transmission of this publication may be made without written • permission. to be the cornerstone of this country’s (Translation Current Concerns) No 14 2 June 2015 Current Concerns Page 3 “… orchestrated not very subtly by foreign parties” Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov’s answer to a question on Macedonia during Government Hour at the Federation Council of the Federal Assembly in Moscow on 20 May 2015

Question: What and failure to fulfil his obligations to the tial scope of rights but you can’t do the is happening now nation, as well as great many other sins. same for Russians in Estonia and Latvia?” in Macedonia is The real motive is to put pressure on him There was no answer. However, the con- basically another because of his refusal to join the sanctions flict in Macedonia was settled at the time. colour revolution. against Russia. We know for certain that Now there are talks that Macedonia It is the Ukrain- this pressure is also a result of his support must be even deeper “federalised”, turned ian scenario or for the South Stream project at the time into a “flexible federation” or maybe even at least its begin- when he counted on it to benefit Macedo- a “confederation.” Someone even suggest- ning stage. What nia. Now he is willing to cooperate in other ed that it should be divided, because of its do you think, has energy supply projects between Russian “artificial” (as they put it) nature, between Sergej Lawrow the time finally and southern Europe, including the Turkish Bulgaria and Albania. Without reference (picture thk) come for Europe Stream. It is truly regrettable and disturb- to Macedonia, the prime minister in Tira- to react to these revolutions with more ur- ing that they are trying to use the Albanian na is generally declaring slogans of Great- gency? Perhaps at the preliminary stage issue to undermine Gruevski’s government. er Albania. Leaders of the Albanian par- of the coups it is advisable to involve in- Many years ago, there were indeed ties in Macedonia use to go to Tirana for ternational instruments such as the OSCE some dramatic clashes between Slavic instructions. Meanwhile, the US ambas- and the UN Security Council, in order to people and Albanians. This is when the sador in Skopje is inviting leaders of po- prevent this from becoming a common Ohrid Agreement was signed, establish- litical parties and opposition to his office. practice of changing power in countries? ing peace and concord [13.8.2013]. Later, In late April, there was even a visit organ- Sergey Lavrov: I totally agree with you. when, in our discussions with the EU, ised for permanent representatives of sev- This is a cause for grave concern. The cur- we raised the issue of rights of Russians eral Western countries and the EU with the rent events in Macedonia are being or- and Russian-speaking people in Estonia OSCE. Some five or six officials without a chestrated rather unsubtly by external par- and Latvia, we asked, “Why did you sup- mandate from the OSCE Permanent Coun- ties. There are attempts to accuse Nikola port the Ohrid Agreement and provided Gruevski’s government of incompetence Albanians in Macedonia with a substan- continued on page 4

Macedonia – Blueprint of “Regime Change” Patterns Interview with Zivadin Jovanovic*, President of the Belgrade Forum for a World of Equals Sputniknews: capitals, participation of some western Lavrov said that latest developments In his recent ambassadors at the opposition rallies in “occur as the Macedonian government visit to Serbia, Skopje, slogans and western propaganda refuses to join sanctions and supports the Sergey Lav- in general, is more than revealing. Ser- Turkish Stream”. Is the US interested in rov voiced the bia, certainly, is one of the most interest- destabilizing the region for geopolitical worries of Rus- ed countries in the region for stabiliza- purposes? sia over the vi- tion of Macedonia and condemnation of I believe Minister Lavrov has it right. USA olence in Mac- the idea of “Greater Albania”. is afraid losing control over Europe and edonia and the Europe’s cooperation with Russia. In that Zivadin Jovanovic idea of a ‘Great- Do you think that the current protests are regard, any project making Europe self- (picture ma) er Albania’. an attempt to destabilize the current Mac- sufficient, secure and independent in the What kind of support do Albanian na- edonian government? And do you believe long run, such as South Stream, Turkish tionalists have in the Balkans? And in- that they can be compared to the ‘color Stream, or any other, Washington consid- ternationally? revolutions’ and ‘regime change’ oper- ers it contrary to its geostrategic interests Zivadin Jovanovic: We all are, indeed, ations sponsored by the West i.e. in the and is trying to stop it by all means. Mac- very worried over the current destabili- former Yugoslavia (Otpor! movement), edonia is, by no means, big nor strong, but zation of Macedonia. With growing so- Georgia (Revolution of Roses) or Ukraine considers Turkish Stream and free trade cio-economic problems in the region, (Euromaidan)? with Russia to be in her best interest. Un- here comes grave violence and political I think that the current events in Mace- fortunately, USA have no consideration for destabilization of Macedonia. The idea donia are a blueprint of “regime change” anybody’s interest, not to mention Mace- of Greater Albania is an old one, but it patterns in Serbia (Yugoslavia), and else- donia’s, except for their own. This is the has been propped up by NATO aggres- where in Europe, Northern Africa, or cur- Imperial logic. But, the time of the world sion in 1999 and further reinforced in rent attempts to destabilize Brazil, Vene- policemen is closing. History continues in 2008 by the unilateral secession of the zuela, and Argentina. There are certainly spite of imperial prognosis. • Serbian Province Kosovo and Metohi- specific details applied from one coun- ja, supported and recognized by USA try to the other, but the main stages and * Zivadin Jovanovic was Foreign Minister of the and most of NATO/EU member govern- tools are – propaganda machinery gener- Federal Republic of Yugoslavia from 1998 to ments. There could hardly be any doubt ating popular discontent, organizing mas- 2000. that current destabilization of Macedo- sive protests and even armed incidents, Source: http://www.beoforum.rs/en/comments- nia could happen without the will and advancing demands for “changes” and, fi- belgrade-forum-for-the-world-of-equals/417-mac- even support of the same western fac- nally, overthrowing legally elected gov- edonia-blueprint-of-regime-changes-paterns.html tors. Statements from various western ernments. from 19.5.2015 No 14 2 June 2015 Current Concerns Page 4

When containment becomes US and Russia are dangerous for Europe fighting for the energy by Stefan Haderer market in Macedonia Europe has emerged as a peace project. The path that Macedonia has em- The pipeline Turkish Stream can only sup- Now this corner stone is threatened to barked on, was already predetermined by ply Europe with Russian gas if it passes crumble in a new Balkan crisis. Mace- the administration of US President Ba- through Macedonia. The US want to pre- donia’s opposition is doing everything rack Obama. Victoria Nuland, the leading vent that and want to build the Trans Adri- to bring down the government of Prime US diplomat for Europe and Eurasia, and atic Pipeline instead. This would supply Minister Nikola Gruevski. In a strange wife of the neo-conservative policy advis- Europe with gas from Azerbaijan, where way this resembles similar scenarios in er Robert Kagan, visited the government the US is the dominating power. Ukraine. Again there is a state that should of Gruevski in the Macedonian capital Macedonia is apparently evolving into be “readied for Europe” by all means. The Skopje in July 2014. There she assured the a new scene for the energy war between western containment policy seems to be politician and advocate of “Euromaidan”, the US and Russia. For the Kremlin, it is applied to the Balkan as well, where one the Ukrainian revolution, that the enlarge- clear that the United States want to stage tries to “clean up” the states from all Rus- ment of NATO would have the highest pri- a “regime change” to overthrow the cur- sia-friendly connections. The strategy, ority in the future. Macedonia deserves, so rent government to establish a pro-Western however, is highly explosive, because the Nuland literally, “its rightful place within government, reports Bloomberg. In fact, EU will not be able to cope with a cross- NATO and the European Union”. Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski is consid- border civil war and an intra-European Macedonia and Serbia have not sup- ered a pro-Russian politician who primari- refugee disaster in the long term. ported the sanctions against Russia, refer- ly supports the construction of the pipeline When politicians like Austrian Foreign ring to their economic situation. It is pre- Turkish stream. The Russian pipeline Turk- Minister Sebastian Kurz now speak of a cisely this step that now becomes very ish Stream should run through Turkey and “strategy for the West Balkans” and of an expensive for Gruevski and the Macedoni- Greece to Central Europe. The only way to EU accession of Macedonia, Albania and an government. One remembers the threat get there is Macedonia. Kosovo one should very seriously consid- of former US President George W. Bush: The US, however, would like Europe to er for the time being, whose targets are ad- “Those who are not with us are against be supplied with gas via the Trans Adriat- dressed by this. Is it the interest of those us.” It is the credo that the world has felt ic Pipeline (TAP). Turkish Stream is a di- civilians, who continue to live under eth- over and again in recent years. But it is rect competitor to TAP. TAP would trans- nic tensions and have to deal with the rad- also the commandment, which Europe’s port no Russian, but Azerbaijani gas from icalization of terrorists that are sponsored politicians submit to ever more willingly, the Caspian Sea to Europe. In this case the partly by Saudi Arabia? Is it in the interest by refering to the preservation of demo- US would have an enormous controlling of the European Union, which would def- cratic values. influence over the gas supplies for Europe initely over-strain itself by the early ad- A new “color revolution” in Macedo- because Azerbaijan is politically, militari- mission of crisis-riddled states? Or is it in nia, as it is feared by Russia, is not in- ly and economically considered as US ally the end the interests of the United States, conceivable. That this will stabilize the and closely cooperates with NATO. that would like to see a fall of all Rus- situation in the Balkans may be strongly The Azerbaijani newspaper “Yeni sia-friendly governments – in particular- questioned – a conflict-free Europe is ob- Musavat” reported that the United States ly those that support lucrative Russian gas viously no top priority at present. • are worried by the participation of Greece projects as Turkish Stream in Southeast- Source: “Wiener Zeitung” from 19.05.2015 in Turkish stream. The US ambassador to ern Europe? (Translation Current Concerns) Macedonia, Jess L. Baily, openly sides with Macedonian opposition leader Zoran Zaev. He is known as “America’s man” by the population of Macedonia. The ”’… orchestrated not very…’” haps also the OSCE Secretary General visit events in Macedonia were the beginning continued from page 3 Skopje, talk to all the participants in this of a wave, which will be directed against process and make recommendations for all those countries in Europe that support cil went to Skopje, called themselves “an consideration by inter-governmental insti- Turkish stream, the newspaper said. OSCE mission”, and presented some “rec- tutions. The battle for the European energy ipes” and demands for Nikola Gruevski. This is a very serious matter. I think market is in any case in full swing. The To prevent similar activity in the future, we you are right and, if any similar cases US government wants to detach the Eu- made a request with the OSCE headquar- occur in the future, it is necessary to take ropean states from the energy dependence ters, the OSCE Secretary General and the more prompt preventive measures and on Moscow. Those who see this as help OSCE Chairman (current Foreign Minister request that international organisations for the Americans, are mistaken. Instead, of Serbia Ivica Dacic) to deal with this mat- send their independent experts and sec- US corporations are supposed to guarantee ter and explain how anything like this could retariat representatives, and report later. the energy security of Europe. US compa- have happened. Decisions must be made by official and nies should lead the fracking- and nuclear Considering this number of self-appoint- legitimate bodies rather than behind the power market in Europe to oust the Rus- ed mediators, in my yesterday’s address to scenes. • sian energy corporations. • the Committee of Ministers of the Coun- Source: http://www.mid.ru/bdomp/brp_4.nsf/e78 Source: Deutsche Wirtschaftsnachrichten from cil of Europe I proposed that the Secretary a48070f128a7b43256999005bcbb3/88ff7ad1c2f5 21.5.2015 General of the Council of Europe and per- 4dc643257e4c0022d5e8!OpenDocument (Translation Current Concerns) No 14 2 June 2015 Current Concerns Page 5

The European Union is blind to the military strategy of the United States by Thierry Meyssan The political leaders of the European Tripoli or on Maïdan Square in Kiev. They until then. On the Union are entirely wrong about the Is- have no idea what these populations are contrary, accord- lamic terrorist attacks in Europe and the really experiencing, and at the request of ing to them, chaos migration to the Union of people fleeing their “big brother”, have often closed their had to attain such the war zones. Thierry Meyssan demon- embassies, thereby depriving themselves a level that no strates here that these are not simply the of eyes and ears on the ground. Even bet- structure could be accidental consequences of conflict in the ter, still at the request of their “big broth- built without the wider Middle East and Africa, but a stra- er”, they have participated in embargos, will of the Creator tegic objective of the United States. thus ensuring that no European business- of the new Order, men will travel to these areas and see what in other words, the The leaders of the European Union are is happening there. United States3. suddenly being confronted with unex- The princi- Thierry Meyssan pected situations. On the one hand, ter- Chaos is not an accident, it’s the goal ple of this strate- (picture wikipedia) rorist attacks or attempted attacks per- Contrary to what President François Hol- gic doctrine may be resumed as follows petrated or prepared by individuals who lande has declared, the Libyan migration – the simplest way to pillage the natural do not belong to any identified political is not the consequence of a “lack of fol- ressources of a country over a long peri- groups; and on the other, an influx of refu- low-through” of operation “Unified Pro- od is not to occupy the target, but destroy gees who cross the Mediterranean, several tector”, but the desired result of this op- the state. Without a state, there can be no thousands of whom die along their coasts. eration, in which his country has played army. With no enemy army, there is no In the absence of any strategic analy- a leading role. Chaos did not evolve be- risk of defeat. Thus, the strategic goal of sis, these two events are considered a prio- cause the “Libyan revolutionaries” were the US army and the alliance that it con- ri as being unconnected, and are treated by unable to agree after the “fall” of Moua- trols, the UNO, is exclusively the destruc- different administrations. The former are mmar el-Kadhafi, it was the strategic goal tion of states. What then happens to the handled by the Intelligence services and of the United States, and they succeeded. populations concerned is not Washing- the police, the latter by Customs and De- There never was a “democratic revolu- ton’s problem. fence. However, they both share the same tion” in Libya, but a secession of Cyrenaï- Such a project is inconceivable for Eu- common origin – the political instability ca. There never was an application of the ropeans who, since the British civil war, that reigns in the Levant and in Africa. UNO mandate aimed at “protecting the have been convinced by Thomas Hobbes’ population”, but the massacre of 160,000 “Leviathan” that it is necessary to give up The European Union has deprived Libyans, three quarters of whom were ci- certain freedoms, even accept a tyrannical itself of the means to understand vilians, under the bombardments of the state, to avoid being plunged into chaos. If the military academies of the Europe- Alliance (numbers from the Internation- an Union had done their job, they would al Red Cross). The European Union denies have been studying the doctrine of its Before I joined the government of the its complicity in US crimes “big brother”, the United States, for the Libyan Arab Jamahiriya, I remember hav- The wars in Afghanistan and Iraq have al- last fifteen years. Indeed, for many long ing been solicited to act as a witness dur- ready cost the lives of 4 million people4. years, the Pentagon has been publishing ing a meeting in Tripoli between a US del- These wars were presented to the Secu- all sorts of documents on the “Chaos The- egation and the Libyan representatives. rity Council as necessary counter-attacks ory” borrowed from the philosopher Leo During our long conversation, the head of undertaken in “legitimate defence”, but Strauss. Only a few moths ago, an offi- the US delegation explained that the Pen- it is accepted today that the wars were cial who should have retired more than tagon was ready to save us from certain planned long before the 11th September, in 25 years ago, Andrew Marshall, disposed death, but demanded that the Guide be the much wider context of “the remode- of a budget of 10 million dollars annual- handed over to them. He added that once ling of a greater Middle East”, and that the ly to research this subject1. But no mili- el-Kadhafi was dead, Libya’s tribal socie- reasons given for launching them were in tary academy of the Union has seriously ty would be unable to name a new leader fact propaganda fabrications. studied this doctrine and its consequenc- for at least a generation, and that the coun- It is common wisdom today to recog- es. Partly because this is a barbaric form try would be plunged into chaos such as nise the genocides committed by Europe- of warfare, and partly because it was con- it had never experienced. I spoke of this an colonialism, but rare are those who will ceived by one of the intellectual gurus of interview on a number of occasions, and accept the figure of 4 million dead, despite the US Jewish elite. And as everybody since the lynching of the Guide in Octo- scientific studies which attest to its accu- knows, the United-States-who-saved-us- ber 2011, I have never stopped predicting racy. It’s because our parents were “bad”, all-from-Nazism can not advocate such what is now happening. but we are “good” and we can not be com- atrocities2. plicit in these horrors. If the political personnel of the Euro- “Chaos Theory” It is common practice to mock the poor pean Union had travelled a little, not only When, in 2003, the US Press began to Germans who maintained their trust in to Iraq, Syria, Libya, the Horn of Africa, speak of “Chaos Theory”, the White their Nazi leaders right to the end, and to Nigeria and Mali, but also to Ukraine, House answered by using the term “con- only learned of the crimes committed in they would have seen with their own eyes structive chaos”, suggesting that the struc- their name after their country’s defeat. But the application of this strategic doctrine. tures of oppression must be destroyed in we are doing exactly the same thing. We Instead, they contented themselves with order that life might evolve without con- maintain our confidence in our “big broth- speeches delivered from a building in the straint. But neither Leo Strauss nor the Green Zone of Bagdhad, from a podium in Pentagon had ever used the expression continued on page 6 No 14 2 June 2015 Current Concerns Page 6

”The European Union is blind …” her desire to “fuck the Union” [sic!]8. All this will cause serious trouble in continued from page 5 From that moment on, they were unable the European Union, which today seems to comprehend what was going on. like a haven of peace. It is out of the ques- er”, and do not want to know about the If they had allowed free research in tion for Washington to destroy this mar- crimes in which he has implicated us. Our their own countries, they would have un- ket which it still considers indispensable, children will certainly mock us in turn… derstood that by intervening in Ukraine but to ensure that Europe will never enter and organising “régime change”, the into competition with it, hence the desire The errors of interpretation by United States ensured that the Europe- to limit its development. the European Union an Union would remain at their service. In 1991, President Bush the elder No West European leader, absolutely Washington’s great fear, since the speech asked one of Leo Strauss’ disciples, Paul none, has dared to publicly express the given by Vladimir Putin at the Munich Se- Wolfowitz (as yet unknown to the gener- idea that the refugees from Iraq, Syria, curity Conference in 2007, is that Germa- al public), to elaborate a strategy for the Libya, the Horn of Africa, Nigeria and ny will realise where its true interests lie – post-Soviet era. The “Wolfowitz Doc- Mali are not fleeing dictatorships, but the not with Washington, but with Moscow9. trine” explained that the guarantee of chaos into which we have deliberately, By progressively destroying the Ukraini- US supremacy over the rest of the world though unconsciously, plunged their an state, the United States has cut the main demanded the curbing of the Europe- countries. communication route between the Euro- an Union10. In 2008, during the financial No West European leader, absolute- pean Union and Russia. You may look at crisis in the United States, the President ly none, has dared to publicly express the the succession of events from any angle, of the Economic Council of the White idea that the “Islamist” attacks which are but you will find no other logical explana- House, historian Christina Rohmer, ex- affecting Europe are not the extension of tion. Washington does not want Ukraine plained that the only way to refloat the the wars in the “greater Middle East”, but to join the Union, as Madame Nuland’s banks was by closing the fiscal paradises are directed by those who have also direct- comments demonstrate. Its only aim is to in the third countries, and then to provoke ed the chaos in this region. We prefer to transform this territory into a zone which trouble in Europe so that capital would continue believing that the “Islamists” are is dangerous to cross. flow back to the United States. Finally, attacking Jews and Christians, although today Washington is proposing to merge the great majority of their victims are nei- US military planning the NAFTA and the EU, the dollar and ther Jews nor Christians, but Muslims. So now we are faced with two problems the Euro, dragging the member states of We calmly accuse them of promoting the which are developing very rapidly – the the Union down to the level of Mexico11. “war of civilisations”, although this con- “Islamist” attacks have only just begun. Unfortunately for them, neither the cit- cept was developed by the National Secu- Migrations across the Mediterranean have izens of the European Union or their lead- rity Council of the United States, and re- tripled in a single year. ers have any idea what President Barack mains alien to their culture5. If my analysis is correct, over the next Obama is preparing for them. • No West European leader, absolute- decade we will see more “Islamist” at- ly none, has dared to publicly express the tacks linked to the greater Middle East 1 “After 42 years of service, Andy Marshall idea that the next stage will be the “Islam- and Africa, doubled with “Nazi” attacks leaves the Pentagon”, Translation Pete Kimber- isation” of the drug market, on the model linked to Ukraine. We will then discov- ley, Voltaire Network, 24 January 2015. 2 “Selective Intelligence”, Seymour Hersch, The of the Contras of Nicaragua, who sold er that al-Qaïda and the Ukrainian Nazis New Yorker, 12 May 2003. drugs to the black community of Califor- have been connected since their common 3 “Stumbling World Order and Its Impacts”, by Imad nia with the aid, and under the orders, of inception, in 2007 at Ternopol (Ukraine). Fawzi Shueibi, Voltaire Network, 5 April 2015. the CIA6. We have decided to ignore the In reality, the grand-parents of both have 4 “Western wars have killed four million Muslims since 1990”, by Nafeez Mosaddeq Ahmed, Middle fact that the Karzaï family has taken the known each other since the Second World East Eye (UK), Voltaire Network, 11 April 2015. distribution of Afghani heroin from the War. The Nazis had at that time recruit- 5 “The “Clash of Civilizations””, by Thierry Mey- Kosovar mafia and handed it to Daesh7. ed Soviet Muslims for the fight against ssan, Voltaire Network, 4 June 2004. 6 Dark Alliance, The CIA, the Contras and the crack Moscow (that was Gerhard von Mende’s cocaine explosion, Gary Webb, foreword by Maxi- The United States never wanted plan at the “Ostministerium”, or Reich me Waters, Seven Stories Press, 1999. Ukraine to join the Union Ministry for the Occupied Eastern Ter- 7 “Karzai family hands over heroin trafficking to Is- lamic State”, Voltaire Network, 1 December 2014. The military academies of the European ritories). At the end of the war, both or- 8 “What about apologizing to Ukraine, Mrs. Nu- Union have never studied the “Chaos The- ganisations were recuperated by the CIA land?”, by Andrey Fomin, Oriental Review (Rus- ory” because they were prevented from (Frank Wisner’s programme with the Am- sia), Voltaire Network, 7 February 2014. doing so. The few teachers and research- ComLib, or the American Committee for 9 “The unipolar governance is illegal and immoral”, by Vladimir Putin, Voltaire Network, 11 February ers who risked exploring this territory the Liberation of the Peoples of Russia) 2007. were heavily sanctioned, while the Press in order to carry out sabotage operations 10 This document is still classified, but its contents qualifies the civilian authors who show in- in the USSR. were revealed in “US Strategy Plan Calls For In- suring No Rivals Develop” by Patrick E. Tyler, terest in the subject as “conspirationists”. The migrations across the Mediterra- New York Times, 8th March 1992. The daily also The politicians of the European Union nean, which for the moment remain a hu- published large extracts on page 14 : “Excerpts thought that the events of Maïdan Square manitarian problem (200,000 people in from Pentagon’s Plan : ‘Prevent the Re-Emergence of a New Rival’”. Supplementary information were spontaneous, and that the demonstra- 2014), continue to increase to the point was provided by “Keeping the US First, Pentagon tors wanted to leave the orbit of authori- of becoming a serious economic problem. Would preclude a Rival Superpower” by Barton tarian Russia and enter into the heavenly The recent decisions by the Union to go Gellman, The Washington Post, 11 March 1992. bosom of the Union. They were stupified and sink the boats of Libyan drug traffick- 11 “The attack on the Euro and the dismantling of the European Union”, by Jean-Claude Paye, Transla- when Under-Secretary of State Victoria ers will not serve to diminish the migra- tion Evan Jones, Voltaire Network, 23 July 2010. Nuland’s comments were published, when tions, but to justify new military opera- Source: http://www.voltairenet.org/article187588. they discovered that she spoke of her se- tions intended to maintain a state of chaos html cret control of the events, and expressed in Libya rather than solving the problem. (Translation Pete Kimberley) No 14 2 June 2015 Current Concerns Page 7 20 years of NAFTA (North American Free Trade Agreement) – Free trade agreements under scrutiny Investors and corporations benefit – the majority of populations suffers losses by Henriette Hanke Güttinger, PhD A number of free trade agreements are currently being negotiated: CETA be- From maize to haze tween the EU and Canada, TTIP/TAFTA between the US and the EU, and TiSA, the Our study suggests that as these coun- export-oriented sectors. While Mexi- tries pursue broader development strat- can manufacturing has expanded, the Agreement on Trade in Services, to which egies, policies influencing the income reduction in maize prices following the fifty states – including Switzerland – are opportunities of the rural poor may Agreement may have also contributed party. Negotiations are taking place be- shape the narcotics trade. Policymakers to the growth of the illicit drug sector. hind closed doors, and no participation should therefore consider the implica- More generally, policies that alter agri- or voice is provided for the citizens in the tions of measures such as trade agree- cultural supports or increase the expo- countries concerned. According to what ments and agricultural reforms on the sure of rural households to internation- has leaked out up to date, the contents of rural narco-economy. For example, in al prices may have similar implications. the case of Mexico it was hoped that the proposed free trade agreements are From: Oeindrila Dube, Omar Garcia- based on the NAFTA Free Trade Agree- NAFTA would deliver economic gains Ponce, Kevin Thom. From Maze to Haze. by more efficiently allocating resources. ment of 1994, which was signed by the Agricultural Shocks and the Growth of Relative price changes (e.g., a fall in the Mexican Drug Sector. Center for US, Canada and Mexico. Twenty years of the price of commodities such as maize) Global Development. Working Paper practical experience with NAFTA show were expected to initially reduce agri- 355. February 2014 p.27 (http://www. perfectly clearly where such free trade cultural incomes but ultimately encour- isn.ethz.ch/Digital-Library/Publications/ agreements lead to. Investors and major age workers to join more productive, Detail/?lang=en&id=177334) corporations benefit while the majority of the populations in the contracting states worldwide emerged, in which all tar- million Canadians, with a gross nation- – even in the US – slide over onto the los- iffs and trade restrictions were practical- al product of more than seven billion dol- er’s side. ly abolished and have remained so until lars annually. The US accounted for 85% today. To begin with, the NAFTA em- of this sum, Canada for 10% and Mexico With the implementation of the North braced the US, Canada and the emerg- for 5%. This shows that the United States American Free Trade Agreement NAFTA ing country Mexico, and thus 250 million dominated their contractual partners Can- in 1994, the then largest single market Americans, 90 million Mexicans and 27 ada and Mexico from the beginning, or, to put it straight: “NAFTA put an ele- Defend self-determination of peoples phant to bed with two mice”1. In the US, the agreement met with serious misgiv- Stop the planned CETA/TTIP–TAFTA/TiSA dictatorship ings and stubborn resistance on the part of the big companies and investors of Democrats, trade unions and the envi- hhg. On 19 December 1966, the self-de- Attacks on the peoples’ right ronmental movement. Nonetheless, Clin- termination of peoples was enshrined in to self-determination ton managed to push through the deal. In the “International Covenant on Civil and Since 1966, countless attempts can be ob- this process, the central argument was: Political Rights” of the United Nations as served to restrict the right to self-deter- “NAFTA means jobs – American jobs 2 follows: mination of peoples or even to eliminate and well-paying American jobs.” Twen- “Article 1 (1) All peoples have the it. Submissive governments (often under ty years later, it is becoming apparent that right of self-determination. By virtue of pressure from the IMF and World Bank) the objections to NAFTA were more than that right they freely determine their have signed and are still signing – how- justified. political status and freely pursue their ever, without being mandated by their economic, social and cultural develop- peoples to do so! – contracts that declare Tools of American foreign policy after ment. whole countries with their populations 1989 – free trade agreements (2) All peoples may, for their own free for looting. The latest example for There is an intimate correlation between ends, freely dispose of their natural that are the planned enslavement con- wealth and resources without prejudice tracts CETA, TTIP/TAFTA and TiSA with NAFTA and the realignment of Amer- to any obligations arising out of inter- which the power of large companies and ican foreign policy after the collapse national economic co-operation, based investors shall be expanded. of the Soviet Union. During the Cold upon the principle of mutual benefit, War, the emphasis had been on a strat- and international law. In no case may a Literature on the subject: egy of military containment, the “glob- people be deprived of its own means of Michel Chossudovsky: Globalization of al containment” to challenge the social- subsistence.” ist states. After 1989, the United States Primarily the former colonial coun- Poverty and the New World Order, 2003. sought to assert itself as the leading tries, supported by the socialist coun- Naomi Klein: The Shock Doctrine: The Rise tries, took a stand for the right to self- of Disaster Capitalism, 2008. power of a unipolar world order. The re- determination. First plundered and bled orientation of its foreign policy, which Jean Ziegler: We Let Them Starve: Mass to death during centuries and by the Extermination in the Third World, 2012. was developed under Clinton in 1993 as first and later by the second world, the a “Strategy of Enlargement” served this self-determination of the third world Maria Mies: Krieg ohne Grenzen (War purpose. In essence, this was meant to was to allow future development in without borders), Frankfurt 2009. enforce global free trade, free markets dignity. Both the former colonial pow- Jean Feyder: Mordshunger. Wer profitiert and democratisation as understood by ers and the US then tried to prevent the vom Elend der armen Völker? (Murderous the US. States which did not submit to codification of the right to self-determi- hunger. Who benefits from the misery of nation – fortunately without success. the poor countries?), Frankfurt 2010. continued on page 8 No 14 2 June 2015 Current Concerns Page 8

”20 years of NAFTA…‘” investors from expropriation and govern- peasant farmers. The situation was similar continued from page 7 ment action which could affect their re- in respect to other agricultural products. turns. In the twenty years of the NAF- Many “ejidos” and peasant farmers had to these ideas and insisted on their right of TA’s being in operation, numerous legal abandon their farms and sell their land. self-determination were to be forced into actions were initiated by corporations Transnational investors were the gainers.6 line with a carrot and a stick. The newly and investors, such as against the State Other smallholders abandoned food pro- established WTO as well as a global net- of Canada, which had prohibited the im- duction and began cultivating opium and work of trade agreements was to serve port of gasoline containing the poisonous marijuana. Accordingly, drug trafficking the enforcement of the “Strategy of En- MMT as an additive. Because of this, the and the crimes of violence associated with largement”. The aim was a globalisa- US Ethyl Corporation brought an action it increased.7 The Mexican labour market tion tailor-made for US economic inter- against Canada in 1997. A settlement was was not able to provide jobs for the former ests. NAFTA fits this framework.3 The reached. Canada revoked the interdiction farmers. Accordingly, poverty and illegal currently pending free trade agreements and paid a high indemnity sum.4 emigration to the United States increased ranging from CETA to TiSA have to be massively. seen in this context as well. Jobs are lost In the US, jobs have been lost most nota- Outlook 20 years of NAFTA – the consequences bly in the industrial sector. According to Negative consequences of globalisation NAFTA has now been in force for twenty the “taz”, the NAFTA is directly to blame as have become apparent also after twen- years. Its consequences are clearly visible for the loss of about 700,000 jobs. The US ty years’ experience with the NAFTA in the countries involved. Bureau of Labor Statistics noted in 2014 induce a deeper reflection on how it is that due to the neoliberal global econo- all to go on. Conclusions can be drawn Corporations and investors my five million jobs have disappeared in from historical experience. This debate are suing states American industry. “Wages are stagnat- is being conducted widely, and criticism Since 1994, the volume of trade has tri- ing in all three countries, and families are of a free trade which undermines econ- pled. Corporations and investors have struggling to pay the costs of health insur- omies, is becoming louder and clear- been the main beneficiaries of NAFTA. ance, education, housing and pension in- er. The population must be allowed to The contract protects corporations and surance,” says the president of the Ameri- take part in the discussion about “What can Federation of trade unions AFL-CIO.5 kind of economy do we want?” in all the countries. That is the foundation for the 2,000,000 Mexican farmers lost Sellout of Mexican agriculture their subsistence because of exercise of the right to self-determina- Since in the negotiations Canada carried tion, as it is required by international NAFTA until 2007 through the exclusion of its agriculture law. • “The UNCTAD Trade and Development from the agreement, NAFTA includes Report for 2007 notes that two mil- the agricultural sector only of the US and 1 “NAFTA put an elephant in bed with two mice” lion farmers in Mexico have lost their Mexico. Between agriculture in the US Martin Walker: Clinton, The President They work since the US, Canada and Mexico and in Mexico there was originally a fun- Deserve, London 1997, p. 292, quoted in Patrick signed the North American Free Trade damental difference. While the US had a Keller: Von der Eindämmung zur Erweiterung – Agreement NAFTA in 1994. In the con- modern industrialised agriculture, a large Bill Clinton und die Neuorientierung der ameri- text of this new free trade zone im- kanischen Aussenpolitik, Bonn 2008, p. 131 ports of North American crop and, in part of the labour-intensive Mexican agri- (From Containment to Enlargement: Bill Clin- particular, those of maize sharply rose, culture was operated in cooperatives, the ton and the Re-Orientation of American Foreign since they were heavily subsidised and “ejidos”. Since the Mexican Revolution of Policy, Bonn: Bouvier 2008). 2 could therefore be sold on the Mexi- 1920, the “ejidos” had been protected by “NAFTA means jobs – American jobs, and good paying American jobs”. Clinton in: Keller: Von der can markets below production costs. the Mexican Constitution and could not be Eindämmung zur Erweiterung, p.135 Not least for that reason the often il- sold. During the NAFTA negotiations, the 3 cf. Keller: Von der Eindämmung zur Erweiterung, legal Mexican immigration into the negotiators of the United States called for pp. 9-25 4 Source: taz.de from 1 January 2014, 20 years free United States continues unabatedly. access to Mexican land. President Carlos Every year, about 700,000 Mexicans trade. Fewer jobs, fewer peasant farmers. 5 leave their country and cross the bor- Salina gave in to this pressure and enact- Richard L. Trumka quoted in Barbara Eisenmann: ed the Agricultural Act of 1992, which an- NAFTA Free Trade Agreement or blueprint of the der with the USA partly risking their neo-liberal investment regime, Deutschlandfunk lives.” nulled the protection of the “ejidos”. The (Germany World Service) of 21 November 2014 consequences ensued accordingly. The 6 Jens Winter: Transnationale Arbeitskonflik- Jean Feyder: Mordshunger. Wer profiti- Mexican agriculture, which was the basis te. Das Beispiel der hegemonialen Konstellation ert vom Elend der armen Länder? (Mur- of existence for a third of the population, im NAFTA-Raum (Transnational labour disputes. derous hunger. Who benefits from the The example of the hegemonic constellation in the misery of the poor countries?) lost out in the competition with the indus- NAFTA region), Münster 2007, pp. 135-137 trialised US agriculture. With NAFTA 7 This connection is attested by the following study, Frankfurt am Main 2010, p. 97 American subsidised maize came onto which is available on the internet: Oeindrila Dube, Omar Garcia-Ponce, Kevin Thom: From Maize to the Mexican market, and this was cheap- (Translation Current Concerns) Haze: Agricultural Shocks and the Growth of the er than the maize produced by Mexican Mexican Drug Sector. No 14 2 June 2015 Current Concerns Page 9 “Against the global dictatorship of globalised finance capital, its satraps and mercenaries” by Thomas Kaiser

The emeri- tus professor “Each individual is always the product of a collective of sociology Jean Ziegler is and specific contingent, historical, dependent sociali- known for his pronounced sation, but the innermost core, the absolutely unique speeches. Be it a statement eludes classification. Hence one’s own conscience, typ- before the UN ically neglected by Marxist theorists, is a mighty his- Human Rights Council in his torical power.” (p. 59) capacity as Special Rap- Jean Ziegler porteur on the in Europe. According to UNICEF in 2013, after another – rice, chicken, fejão, caruru, (picture thk) right to food, 11 percent of children under 10 years were salad, cake – out on the newspaper, tied up in which he malnourished in Spain.” (p. 15) Not to the parcel and disappeared in the darkness. castigated the crimes of humanity let- mention other countries such as Greece Although he himself was plagued by hun- ting people starve alongside profitable or Portugal, which also have a very high ger, he carried the meal to his mother, his fields owned by the international agri- youth unemployment rate with all the so- father and his brothers and sisters.” (p. 12) business, or a statement before the Ad- cial consequences related to that. This boy is representative for millions visory Board of the UN Human Rights of children, although living in abject pov- Council, in which he vividly depicts to the Human compassion erty, but have still not lost their sense of audience the devastating effects of uni- For Ziegler it is clear: all this must not be. responsibility for their family. lateral coercive measures on the affect- Today we would have the chance to erad- ed population. This attitude also becomes icate poverty and hunger. “The physical “The peoples’ longing for clear in his latest book “Ändere die Welt – suffering that still plagues hundreds of independence, freedom and happiness” Warum wir die kannibalistische Weltord- millions of our contemporaries could be In this book, the reader gets the impres- nung stürzen müssen” (Change the World eliminated tomorrow.” (p. 20) When read- sion, that Ziegler is trying to reflect his – Why we have to overthrow the cannibal- ing the book, we begin to understand from work for a juster world battling against istic world order). what Ziegler draws his optimism. Result- the man-made social injustice, which ing from the conviction that nothing must today is a bitter reality, more than ever. “Hunger and poverty are back remain as it is, and that there are always Undoubtedly embodied by Jean Ziegler, in Europe” ways to change the situation (the world), a in the chapter “Of what use is an intel- Ziegler’s latest book addresses so many great creative strength emerges. lectual?” he tries to answer the question aspects that a representation of the con- An episode at the beginning of the about an intellectual’s usefulness. He fo- tents in one article can only be just a small book, which took place in Brazil, guides cuses on various sociologists and explains selection. It grants an insight into his the reader through his reading: It reflects how their ideas have acted as a model, for thoughts and wealth of experience, which what we sense in all of Ziegler’s state- example in the struggle against colonial- he gathered throughout his travels and in- ments together with his combative nature: ism and in helping to build freedom move- ternational mandates. His experiences his human compassion. ments. and impressions have always contributed “I shall never forget the little boy’s The mutual cultural influence forms the and still contribute to the dispute of to- eyes. I rose under a pretext and found him context in which the desire of the peoples day’s globalised neo-liberal system; ex- outdoors, sitting on the rocks by the sea. for freedom and independence and the de- periences that go under the reader’s skin, His name was Joaquim. He showed nei- sire of some individuals to support these for instance when Ziegler describes that in ther anger nor sadness, fear tied up his developments come together: “In this way emerging countries such as India and Bra- throat. His story was commonplace: His the efforts of an intellectual to understand zil there exists a poverty of unimaginable father, a traveling cane cutter, suffered the world, as it is, and to change it, con- proportions alongside an ever increas- from tuberculosis and had had no work cur necessarily with the desire of the peo- ing wealth. The empty eyes of those half- for two years, his four younger siblings ples for independence, freedom and hap- way starved silently accuse the screaming and his sick mother had been waiting for piness.” (p. 41) injustice in a world that lives in such an him since the morning in a shanty of the Anyone who cares about the situation abundance, that 30 percent of the food is slums on the other side of the lagoon. The of the people in our world, is guided by trashed, a world in which the 200 richest money he earned by selling a few nuts in ideas that match his inner convictions. people of the planet have more assets than the evening was the family’s entire in- That Jean Ziegler, as he pointed out in the the size of the French GDP. The fact that come. talk with the Radio SRF, understands him- the opening of the divide between the rich Joaquim had feverish eyes and was tor- self as a Marxist, shows his political back- and the poor is not only to be observed mented by hunger. The cook stuck his ground. Due to his frankness, he leaves no in the emerging or developing countries, head out of a window of the tavern, and doubt where his mental, his philosophical but also once more in Europe, represents a I asked him to serve the boy on the rocks home is. That is more sincere than some new dimension of the neo-liberal econom- a meal. When the meal arrived, Joaquim others who speak the expansion of the ic system that claims to produce prosper- spread an old newspaper over the stones. ity for all. “Hunger and poverty are back With trembling fingers he poured one plate continued on page 10 No 14 2 June 2015 Current Concerns Page 10

”‘Against the global dictatorship …‘” conditions the global war against the poor the permanent crisis: the rise of financial continued from page 9 […] is getting all the worse.” (p. 83) aristocracy and the failure of democra- cy). The state is dominated by economy welfare state, in word and deed, however, “The state is also a stronghold which determines the taxing system, the think about a sellout of the Service Public for the weak” local conditions, thereby dictating poli- along with TTIP and TiSA, because they When Ziegler starts investigating the role tics the general framework conditions that may help shrewd businessmen to pocket a of the state, the nation state, he is start- serve interests. In such a system, it is not lot of additional money. ing out from the basic concept of Marxist the citizens, but the big financial and eco- theory which regards the state as the in- nomic corporations that control politics. If “One’s own conscience … a mighty strument of domination by those in power: economy is above politics and government historical power” “The state apparatus is a weapon in class activity is seen exclusively from an eco- Based on Marxist theory, Ziegler starts struggle. The governing class uses it ex- nomic perspective, the democratic politi- out from the concept of the class society clusively to advance its class interests.” (p. cal system, in which the people is the sov- which develops according to its economic 135) This statement is of course true for ereign, has come to an end. conditions. But he would not be Jean Zie- autocratic states and dictatorships. But is All this development eventually leads gler if he was not adding his own point it true in general? to the state’s privatisation and thus to the of view to Marxism. Despite all the dog- In spite of all criticism of the policies end of democracy. “The privatisation of matism inherent to Marxism, Ziegler has of many states and in spite of the Marx- the state is destroying the freedom of man. gained the following insight: “Each indi- ist view that the state is an instrument of It annihilates its citizenship.” (p. 157) vidual is always the product of a collec- the rich, Ziegler concedes: “In some lim- tive and specific contingent, historical, de- ited areas, the state is a force of progress. “The nation … is at risk to die” pendent socialisation, but the innermost Without state intervention, old and young That the captains of industry invent new core, the absolutely unique eludes classifi- people, employees and workers would be strategies all the time and that they use cation. Hence one’s own conscience, typi- at the mercy of the raging capital without every possible and impossible means to cally neglected by Marxist theorists, is a any protection. Due to the state all over strengthen and expand their influcence mighty historical power.” (p. 59) Europe there are great schools, universi- internationally can be seen from vari- The issue of conscience which Ziegler ties, cultural institutions, hospitals, social ous agreements by which the powerful here places in the centre of human acting security systems, labour courts and man- seek to secure and if possible to increase and feeling is of central importance. The ifold efficient institutions protecting em- their own privileges and profits. Indeed, results of modern anthropology confirm ployees, pensioners and unemployed per- Jean Ziegler has not spared with criticism the insights that Jean-Jacques Rousseau sons. The state is using the tax system to of the new free trade agreement, main- and Immanuel Kant gained more than 200 create internal transfers of income. It is a ly between the EU and the USA, called years ago. Man is a social being at core. warranty for at least some basic justice.” Transatlantic Trade and Investment Part- Counteracting this fact is an economic (p. 152). The positive role of the state nership (TTIP). This agreement involves order which “glorifies merciless compe- eventually is a result of the era of enlight- the creation of the largest free trade zone tition between people” and pushes aside enment which has put man into the centre in human history. Negotiations are being “millennia of patient efforts and civilisa- of state activity, thus laying the fundament carried out behind closed doors, but now tion”. (p. 79) for the creation of the modern citizen state and then some small pieces of informa- Where are “social justice, fraternity, which has reached a very high level of de- tion are leaking out. According to Zie- freedom and mutual endorsement? The velopment in the Swiss direct democra- gler much more is at stake, however, than universal tie between human beings, the cy. Thus the modern democratic state has simply free trade: “If the TTIP enters into common good, the freely accepted order, developed from an institution serving the force, the states’ economic and financial the law which liberates, foul volitions that powerful to an elected representation of policy will be definitively at the mercy of will be transformed by the general rule its citizens. “Therefore the state is also a those cold monsters, the multinational pri- (Kant), the social contract (contrat so- stronghold for the weak. But this strong- vate corporations. The key clause of the ciale)?” (p. 79) hold is slowly decaying.” (p. 152) agreement deals with the creation of ar- Ziegler severely criticises the neo-lib- bitration courts. Should the agreement be eral economic theory since it does not “Privatisation of the state is destroying signed, should the European Parliament serve the common good but spurs on in- the freedom of man” give its consent, should the 28 Parliaments dividual enrichment. The fathers of this This is the starting point for Ziegler’s of the member states ratify it and should theory, Adam Smith and David Ricca- marked criticism of present conditions. it enter into force every private multina- rdo, were convinced that unimpeded com- “The globalised financial capital’s in- tional corporation could take legal action merce would generate welfare for all. “Ac- crease of power, the neo-liberal dogma of against any government that would take cording to Smith and Riccardo, there is an ‘less state’, the privatisation of the world a decision that is contrary to the corpora- upper limit for the accumulation of wealth. – meanwhile all this is weakening the tion’s interests and wishes.” (p. 161) The This limit is defined by the satisfaction of states’ capacity of regulation. These de- consequences would be devastating. “If needs. This theorem is valid both for indi- velopments are overrunning parliaments TTIP is sucessfully negotiated and rat- viduals and for companies.” (p. 81) With and governments. They render most elec- ified, the all-pervading global power of respect to individuals, this means: “If a tions and nearly all referenda meaning- corporations will definitively become a certain amount of bread is available, dis- less. They are undermining the ruling reality.” (p. 162) tribution to the poor will take place al- capacity of public institutions. They are But we are not that far yet. Resistance most automatically.” (p. 81) The idea that suffocating law.” (p. 152) is mounting. In our neighbouring Ger- wealth is spreading top-down may be true This is exactly what Marc Chesney, many the people have taken to the streets in some cases and is well-conceivable, in professor of economics, bluntly ex- and are demonstrating against these mon- case there prevails a deeply humane dis- plained in his book “De la Grande Guerre ster-treaties which serve only the multina- position. But in a world which over-em- à la crise permanente: La montée en puis- tionals and no-one else. While the Swiss phasises individual freedom, the common sance de l’aristocratie financière et l’échec good falls by the wayside. “Under these de la démocratie” (From the Great War to continued on page 11 No 14 2 June 2015 Current Concerns Page 11

”‘Against the global dictatorship …‘” rican continent, and the Pan-African up- fédération Paysanne by the French farm- continued from page 10 heaval ended in failure. Three quarters of ers, founded by José Bové, who holds a the African nations are not sovereign, even seat in the European Parliament as a rep- Federal Council leaves it open (does not today.” (p. 180) resentative for the farmers today; “Via provide a clear answer) whether and in As part of their policy the European co- Campesina”, explains Jean Ziegler, “has what manner it wants “to dock on” to lonial powers cultivated local elites in the mobilised all peasant movements against TTIP, signatures are already being col- conquered and occupied territories who the neo-liberal concepts of trade in ag- lected in many European countries for an were lifted into government positions ricultural products.” It is a paradox that EU initiative to resist the conclusion of the thereby helping them to continue exerting in Africa the peasants in particular are agreements. Nearly two million signatures an influence on the policies of the coun- most threatened by starvation. With the have been collected so far. If resistance is tries which they had “released into inde- financial crisis of 2007/2008 the situa- growing the EU member states will hardly pendence”: “State terror was relentless. tion “of farm workers and their families be able to disregard their own populations. The true nationalist leaders had to be elim- has greatly deteriorated. After the ban- Since the economic developments just inated at any cost in order to transfer the ditry of the international banks had ru- outlined above would lead to the total de- power to prepared local elites who were ined the financial markets, the large struction of democratic nation states in helped to power and controlled by their predators – the hedge funds, the multi- case they will be enforced, Ziegler con- colonial masters.” (p. 191) national banks and so on … turned to cludes: “A nation at the mercy of neolib- the world’s natural resources.” (p. 265) eral ideology and the privatisation of the “It makes me suffer By speculation in agricultural products world is on the verge of dieing.” (p. 176) to see the suffering of the other” they drove up the prices of basic food- Although in the chapter about the forma- stuffs, so that they were no longer afford- Today, three quarters of African tion and development of societies Ziegler’s able by the population, especially in the nations have no sovereignty analysis repeatedly quotes the Marxist developing countries and allowed the in- Taking the case of the African conti- theory of class struggle and he defines it ternational speculators to pocket whop- nent, Ziegler shows what the destruction as the dominant constituent, he ultimate- ping profits at the same time. Resistance of nations and of social cohesion looks ly refers back to the anthropological basic comes up and even “the Swiss Govern- like. Here, Ziegler is in his element (at his elements of human existence. “Every- ment” supports “the rights of farmers best). Anyone interested in colonial his- one wants to be happy, wants to eat, to be and their battle against transgenic seeds tory will learn many interesting things. protected from fear and loneliness. Eve- and their right to a Court of Jurisdiction Using different countries as an example ryone – on which continent he may live, abroad.” (p. 271) Ziegler spreads confi- he depicts the sorrowful history of Afri- whatever nation, class, culture, ethnicity dence despite all inconvenience, not least can nations which – considering the trag- and age group he belongs to – fears death nourished by his conviction that man as edies that have occurred in the Mediter- and hates illness. A reflecting conscious- a basically compassionate being is able ranean before the eyes of the public over ness is inherent in every human being …. to act in solidarity. “‘Inhumanity that is the last few weeks and months – is a shat- Among all living beings, man alone has done to somebody else, destroys human- tering reality even today. The time of co- an awareness of his identity. Any mal- ity in me’ I repeat the insight of Kant lonialisation which had led to the destruc- nourished child is something people can- and take it as my own.” Everybody car- tion of African culture is responsible for not bear to have to look at … The suffer- ries the categorical imperative in him- today’s fragmentation of the African con- ing of the other makes me suffer, it hurts self. He is the motor of the global civil tinent and thus for a large number of pre- my own consciousness, it breaks my heart, society. Awareness of identity – I’m the sent-day conflicts. Borders were drawn in it makes me unhappy, it destroys, what I accordance with the interests of the colo- perceive as an indispensable ‘value’: the continued on page 12 nial powers, they were not based on the desire not to suffer, to eat, to be happy. tribal areas of the African inhabitants at It destroys the most precious thing in me: all. my ‘human nature’ …”. (p. 258) These “The major and medium colonial pow- values don’t need further definition, they ers disposed of Africa at their own dis- are inherent in man. “These values are po- cretion. They fragmented the continent, tentially universal because they are consti- carved out their possessions, dispersed the tutive of mankind.” (p. 258) populations, destroyed cultures and tradi- Although Ziegler is again and again tional collective identities; they pillaged, drawing a picture of our current world sit- plundered, raped and looted the wealth uation that is by no means a cheerful one of the soil, of the forests and of the peo- – towards the end of the book the reader is ple just as they pleased, according to their rewarded for his patience, which he had to own self-centred interests.” (p. 196) keep up when going through the chapters When after the end of World War II, the the sociological models. Everywhere, Zie- colonial powers France and Great Britain gler sees small spots of resistance devel- gradually had to set the conquered territo- oping against a world which moved away ries free because of their own weakness, from genuine humaneness and humanity. but also as a result of the wave of sover- “A new historical subject, the global eignty which swept through the countries civil society, is standing up today against of the oppressed states, they were official- the worldwide dictatorship of globalised ly granted their independence, but they financial capital, its satraps and mercenar- were and are not truly sovereign, even ies.” (p. 259) today. “Africa with its 54 states is the most Whether it is the Via Campesina, an fragmented continent on the planet today. international movement of peasants, The projects of Bamako and Manches- founded in Jarkarta in 1993, or the move- ter, the dream of the liberation of the Af- ment of the landless in Brazil or the Con- ISBN 978-3-570-10256-5 No 14 2 June 2015 Current Concerns Page 12 The importance of direct democracy for securing social peace World War I and the post-war period (Part 1) by Dr rer publ Werner Wüthrich, Switzerland In these weeks a number of events will take place in Switzerland the topic of which will be direct democracy in Swit- “The Swiss people manifested their high political ma- zerland. Reform proposals on how the re- turity by a 93 percent Yes vote for the so-called ‘war quirement rules for popular initiatives might be tightened are brought forward. tax’, despite their difficult living conditions – the high- The media broadly debate the issue as well. In particular, we frequently hear est approval that a federal bill has ever reached to date.” that the people were unable to cope with the challenging issues in the fields of fi- on how to finance the costs of national de- lar initiative aiming at introducing the di- nance and economy and that EU law, in- fense, and later, after the war, on how to rect federal tax on income and wealth in ternational law or the global world in repay the debt. the long run – that is beyond the war. The general would be setting limits to the di- 14 June 2015 reminds us of a very spe- demands the state had to address had in- rect democracy of a single state. The fol- cial date. Years ago, almost exactly one creased, so more taxes were required to lowing lines should show that the his- hundred years ago – on 6 June 1915 – tackle future challenges in the long run. torical importance of referendums and there was the first vote on a federal tax in 54 percent of the voters rejected the bill popular initiatives cannot be estimated Switzerland right in the middle of World on 2.6.1918. These polls undoubtedly rein- high enough for the development of Swit- War I. Let us recall the events of that time forced the sense of unity among the peo- zerland. Even more: Especially in diffi- and their impact on the political develop- ple. cult times, referendums and popular ini- ment of today’s federal state. After the war, the question of repay- tiatives have always had beneficial effects One or the other readers may object ing the “war debts” of approximately 1 on Switzerland’s political development. that there have been earlier nation-wide billion Swiss francs (the present value is constitutional referenda. That is right – about 10 billion) was raised. While other The starting point for this analysis is the but not on a federal tax because they have countries dealt with these domestic debt 14 June vote on a popular initiative that never existed before. Prior to 1915, the via inflation, the Federal Council suggest- proposes to introduce an inheritance tax Federal Government was exclusively fi- ed the continuation of the extraordinary at the federal level that will raise a 20 per nanced by tariffs and duties. Income and tax of 1915 – initially adopted only for cent tax on inheritances exceeding two wealth taxes were left to the communes the duration of the war, until these debts million Swiss francs. It is a kind of tax on and the cantons that used to vote on taxes would be paid back. On 4.5.1919 the peo- wealth that would affect only two percent much earlier. ple agreed to and accepted the plan of the of the taxpayers. In the following, howev- Federal Council with a high percentage of er, it is not so much the content of this ini- Test for direct democracy 63 percent Yes votes. (This tax was to be tiative that plays a minor role but the fact in World War I abolished only 12 years later.) This time, that the people are voting on a federal tax. When World War I began, it soon became however, there was some opposition. The On one hand, this is unique in the world apparent that the funds of the Confeder- Social Democrats disagreed. The work- and on the other hand this is a tradition ation were by far not sufficient to cover ers had been hit much harder by the hard- that began in World War I, when the peo- the mobilization and the rapidly increas- ships, privations and problems of the war ple in Switzerland voted in several polls ing expenditures for national defense. As than the middle classes and the rich. They a remedy, the Federal Council considered also pointed out that some people had ”‘Against the global dictatorship …‘” a progressive direct federal tax on income even benefited from the war and that it continued from page 12 and assets for the duration of the war. The was more than fair that the rich and profi- discussion initially focused on the ques- teers of war would have to pay for the war other one and the other one is me – is es- tion of whether this new tax should be in- debts. In 1921, the SP (Socialist Party) sential for man.” (p. 274) troduced via martial law – that is, with- submitted the popular initiative for “the His plea, “Change the world” has out a referendum – or whether one should imposition of a one-time capital levy” for something encouraging. People are not follow the ordinary process during which the rich. A citizen with a fortune in today’s object, but subject in a (democratic) so- parliament would submit a constitutional value of 10 million Swiss francs would, ciety. “There is no impotence in democ- article to the people for decision. Out of a for example, have to give 20 percent of racy, there is no helplessness. Most oli- deeply rooted democratic attitude, politi- his fortune, and the richer ones even more. garchs come from North America and cians chose the latter, which was not self- Legal entities, i.e. mainly public compa- Europe. Endorsed by their constitution, evident at the time, especially in the situ- nies, would have to pay 10 percent of the citizens of these countries have all demo- ation of war. The Swiss people manifested business assets. A small minority of just cratic rights, freedoms, and tools that are their high political maturity by a 93 per- six per thousand of taxable persons would necessary in order to overthrow the dic- cent Yes vote for the so-called “war tax”, have been affected, and they had reason tatorship of companies” (p. 278) Ziegler despite their difficult living conditions – to fear that the vast majority would de- encourages people to reclaim their demo- the highest approval that a federal bill has cide against their interests. In order to en- cratic rights, to overcome the injustices of ever reached to date. A year later a vote on able a company to pay them, it was sug- this world. “... and the cannibalistic world the stamp duty followed, which owners of gested that these new taxes could be paid order will collapse – as early as tomorrow securities had to pay. Once again, the peo- in securities and treasury shares instead morning.” (p. 278) • ple agreed – if only by 53 percent. Then, (Quotations translated by Current Concerns) the Social Democrats submitted a popu- continued on page 13 No 14 2 June 2015 Current Concerns Page 13

”The importance of direct democracy” worked out a strategy for a “counter-rev- also political unrest in these weeks, which continued from page 12 olution”. It is obvious that Wille was not was much more violent and where actually the general for the whole Swiss people as revolutionary attempts were made. In Eng- of money. The state would thus have be- Henri Guisan would be during World War land, France and northern Italy there were come the co-owner of private enterpris- II. big strikes as well. es. This would have led to the “national- When immediately prior to the strike, In the subsequent legal and historical ization of the means of production” and the Social Democrats all across the coun- analysis of the events in Switzerland, how- to communism as the Marxists called for try were calling for commemoration of ever, it turned out that here and there a few and as Lenin practiced in Russia, the op- the October Revolution in Russia, which weapons and some explosives were found. ponents of this bill protested. Income tax had taken place a year earlier, the Federal However, there were no plans for a coup, – so the SP – should be used to pay off Council and the army leadership respond- as particularly General Wille had incor- the war debts and support social purpos- ed in an exaggerated manner. They mus- rectly assumed. Domestically, these days es. The referendum Sunday of 12.3.1922 tered large sections of the army – about were undoubtedly the absolutely low- was to go down in the history of direct 95,000 troops – to guard the stations, gov- est point in the history of the Confedera- democracy. Almost all voters – 86.3 per- ernment buildings, banks, switchboards tion. Even with respect to foreign policy cent – went to the polls and massively re- etc. – facilities that in case of uprisings the strike had consequences. The Feder- jected the popular initiative with 87 per- and revolutions were always the first to be al Council broke off diplomatic relations cent of the votes. This is definitely going occupied. In some communes vigilantes with the Soviet Union, because it proba- too far, was the message to the initiators. were founded. bly rightly assumed that Lenin had abused Large parts of the workers had voted ‘no’. The military presence was so massive Swiss hospitality and had been responsi- These record-high turnout has never been that the strikers rightly felt provoked and ble for the strike. The relations with the achieved once more to date. expressed their protest. At 107 localities in Soviet Union were not resumed until after Switzerland 250,000 strikers finally went the Second World War. How far Lenin had General Strike in 1918 on strike at the same time. been responsible for the radicalization of There is another remarkable point in con- In the Zurich area, where major riots parts of the Left at the end of World War I, nection with this vote. The “repayment of had been expected, 8,000 men were in ser- is still controversial today. war debts by the propertied classes” was a vice and the cantonal government moved The country’s general strike was dan- central demand during the country’s gener- its headquarters temporarily to the bar- gerous for another reason, as well. The al strike in November 1918. Just a few facts racks. The strike committee called for lev- often fatal Spanish Flu was rampant. Al- about this general strike: In Autumn of el-headedness and urged the workers not ready 300,000 cases had been registered. 1918, some left-wing parties and most trade to allow the huge contingent of the army It must be assumed that the big size of the unions called for a nationwide strike. It was to provoke them. On the “Fraumünster- crowds had led to numerous infections justified by the plight, which many Swiss platz” clashes came about and shots were and deaths. The Army statistics showed workers had suffered during the war. Prices fired. A Swiss soldier lay dead on the 200 victims of the Spanish Flu. had doubled, while wages had not changed square – killed by a pistol shot. It may be much. The food rationing had started only assumed that there were snipers who were Rejection of the class struggle in 1917. The wage replacement during mil- interested in escalation. The Zurich com- and rapprochement at a difficult time itary service was regulated inadequately. mandant equipped the soldiers with hand So what do the events around the general The country was generally ill-prepared for grenades and gave the order to use them if strike have to do with our topic of direct the long wartime – with the greatest im- the soldiers were shot at from windows. democracy? – Very much. After World pact on the working class a situation that The strikers usually behaved in a disci- War I there were numerous referendums. had embittered them. plined way. Nevertheless, there was a After the strike had ended some agitators In addition there were other reasons risk that such situations might result in a still had their say. So the partly Marxist- that deepened the political divide. Lenin, bloodbath. indoctrinated strike committee comment- Trotsky and other Russian revolutionaries When later the political situation did ed on the termination of the general strike had been staying in Switzerland as asylum not significantly become less tense, the as follows: seeker for quite some time and had been Federal Council supported by parliament “[...] We were unable to voice our agitating from there. Especially Lenin demanded an ultimatum to end the strike, demands. The workers succumbed commented on domestic issues in Swit- which the strike committee complied to. to the power of bayonets. But they zerland and radicalized parts of the Left Thus the strike ended after only three are not defeated. On the whole, it with his revolutionary ideology. So the SP days. has gained a weapon of great and party program of 1920 contained a whole The main reason this serious situation terrible meaning for the first time, passage about the dictatorship of the pro- came out unscathed, was the fact that the if need be. This weapon needs to be letariat – following the Leninist model. demonstrators until only a few days before strengthened and sharpened.” However, this point was discussed contro- the event had carried the same uniform as versially even within the party. (cf. “100 the opposing forces. Both the soldiers and There was, however, no expansion and in- Jahre Sozialdemokratische Partei der Sch- their commanders had done their duty in tensification of the general strike – be- weiz”, Zurich 1988, p. 47) this difficult situation, in general with a cause of direct democracy. So almost all The general strike planned for No- high sense of responsibility. On the other points on the list of demands of the gen- vember 1918 was announced in news- hand, the strike committee had repeatedly eral strike were later individually voted paper articles and pamphlets with some called for nonviolence and for moderation on in the months and years to come and revolutionary pathos, so that the Federal and had always observed that a strict ban the workers experienced that most of their Council was considering a military oper- on alcohol was abided by during the events. concerns won a majority – a unique pro- ation. Above all, the army leadership was Nevertheless, the situation was dangerous, cess worldwide. The list of these referen- pushing in this direction in order to meet and it is almost a miracle that only one cas- dums is long and impressive. any possibly attempted coup early. The ualty had to be mourned during the strike. Armed Forces Staff of General Wille even In other European cities such as Munich, presumed that a coup might succeed and Berlin, Vienna and Budapest, there was continued on page 14 No 14 2 June 2015 Current Concerns Page 14

”The importance of direct democracy” eral agricultural policy before the war. al strike” or even “strike” lost their im- continued from page 13 The federal government was given the portance in the vocabulary of workers. A task of promoting the cultivation of first sign of a significant change was -al – On 13.10.1918 the people accepted a grain, storing supplies, preserving flour ready manifest in the last months of the popular initiative of the Social Dem- mills and monitoring the grain trade. In year 1920. With a significant majority the ocrats with 67 percent calling for the 1914, 90 percent of the crop had been Socialist Party refused to join the Third proportional votes for the National imported, which became increasingly International founded by Lenin – a deci- Council. difficult during the war, therefore there sion that was also supported by the party‘s – On 10.8.1919 the people agreed on the had been incidents of starvation and basis in a ballot. premature dissolution of the Nation- serious political tensions. That should The peace agreement between the al Assembly and new elections under not happen again. During World War unions and employers’ associations of the new procedure by a 71 percent yes- II, Switzerland was significantly bet- watches, machinery and metal industry in vote. (The Social Democrats nearly ter prepared to feed the population ad- 1937 turned out to finally pave the way doubled their number of seats.) equately. for a world of work more or less with- – On 21.3.1920 the Federal law establish- – In addition to these economic bills, a out strike – until today. The counterpar- ing the employer-employee order was popular initiative originating in French- ties were no longer involved in a class rejected with a wafer-thin 50.2 per cent speaking Switzerland was adopted in struggle against each other, but faced No-votes. 1921 with 71 percent yes-votes, which each other as social partners who shared – On 31.10.1920 the people said Yes to subordinated such international agree- a common interest in the prosperity of shorter working hours on the railways ments, which were either unlimited or the company. In contrast to the instru- and transport companies (SOEs). settled for a period of more than 15 ment of strike, referendums or collective – On 12.3.1922 they massively refused – years, to the referendum, which meant agreements in Switzerland are not about as already reported – the popular initi- that also the Swiss foreign policy was wresting a concession from the govern- ative for the “imposition of a one-time democratized in the sense of people‘s ment, the Parliament or an employer; in- property tax” to pay off the war debt. rights. stead they constitute a free decision by – On 17.2.1924 the people agreed to the A very large number of the population’s the citizens and the contractors and there- legal introduction of the 48-hour week very fundamental concerns – especially fore have a very different quality. It is an in a referendum with 57 percent yes- of the working class – was decided on di- entirely different political culture that has votes on. rect-democratically in those years. They emerged and which has a balancing and – The creation of an old-age and disabil- included two popular initiatives of the So- moderating effect. ity insurance was a key point on gener- al strike’s list of demands. In addition, there was a whole series of votes: On “The peace agreement between the unions and em- 12.6.1925 the people laid the foundation for the introduction of Old-Age and Sur- ployers’ associations of watches, machinery and metal vivors’ Insurance (OASI) in the Consti- tution with 65 percent of the votes. industry in 1937 turned out to finally pave the way A first attempt to establish the OASI defi- for a world of work more or less without strike – until nitely failed in 1931 in a referendum with a clear 60 percent No-votes. The econom- today.” ic crisis and the World War II then delayed this ambitious project, which was resumed immediately after the war. In 1947, the cial Democrats on federal taxes. Numer- These considerations can also be con- people agreed by 80 percent yes-votes on ous other polls were to follow over the tinued and deepened for the difficult pe- the OASI in a turnout of 80 percent of the decades. The workers who had been de- riod of the economic crisis in the 1930s. voters – whose outlines still apply today. feated in the nationwide general strike It may be said that during this time, the – In the list of demands of the gener- made the experience that their concerns great number of referenda and popular al strike of November 1918 the work- were taken seriously and that there were initiatives helped to cope with the cri- ers had demanded the “security of food better ways to enforce them. This included sis politically and economically and thus supply in consultation with the agricul- collective agreements that were increas- contributed significantly to the sense of tural producers”. In three polls – this ingly negotiated in the 1920s between the unity and the successful development of included a popular initiative – the peo- organizations of employers and trade un- Switzerland. More on this topic is to fol- ple decided to a turn away from the lib- ions. Terms like “revolutionary gener- low in the second part. • No 14 2 June 2015 Current Concerns Page 15 Literature is culture ... and it should not be dumped Peter Sodann collects books from the GDR by Moritz Nestor, Klaudia and Tankred Schaer

When Peter Sodann welcomes us, we im- mediately think of the “Tatort” de- tective su- perinten- dent Bruno Peter Sodann (picture ts) Ehrlicher. Sodann has played the role of the Dresden detective, who was always carrying a briefcase and who could not be upset by anything and who solved the most complicated cases, with great success for many years. We meet with him in order to visit the Peter-Sodann-Library which he founded some years ago. It is located in a recent- ly renovated manor in Staucha in Saxo- ny. Here in this corner of Saxony about 4,000,000 GDR books found a home. Sodann experienced how books from bookstores and libraries were taken to Peter-Sodann-Library (picture ts) the landfill truckload-wise after the wall came down. And he says: ees has fallen below one-tenth. Less than was not, that’s a different matter. I can “In 1989, a little girl came to me and one percent of produced German book even forgive them today, that is the way it said: ‘My parents send me, and they ask sales take place in this part of Germany, is. – But if you are always trying hard to you to come to the union hall.’ It was now. do something well, which cannot be done about the union library in Halle an der Is Peter Sodann only an old, back- well because it is related to money, and Saale. There were many trucks, and eve- ward-looking communist with GDR to the stock exchange and to a land distri- rything was to be taken away, and I told nostalgia? For a long time Sodann re- bution that cannot be successful …. This them: ‘But you throw away your past.’ alized performances together with Nor- is what we were always talking about.” They answered that they did not care bert Blüm, a former German politician. In Peter Sodann calls himself a praying and ordered me to get out of their way, many respects, there are parallels in the Communist: or something serious would happen. So I life story of the politician Blüm and the “Why should I not believe in God? left, and from that day on I started to col- theatre director Sodann: If I lived by the 10 Commandments, I lect, because I wanted to keep my past.” “Well, Blüm is also a toolmaker like would respect God, because he created Peter Sodann set out to do something me. I’ve learned in the electric plants this earth. It is round and has lakes and about all the libraries that were sup- Sonnewitz, a nation-owned company, he rivers and all sorts of things. And then posed to be unceremoniously destroyed. has learned to be a toolmaker at Opel’s.” this gift that he has given us, we should “We cannot dispose of our own history,” Both discussed the history of the GDR take care of it. Well, so I live in God, and Sodann says. In 1989, he appealed to his a lot. Peter Sodann remembers the con- I also pray.” contemporaries not to destroy the books, versations with Norbert Blüm, and what Peter Sodann is first of all an Impre- but keep them. Many people responded he told him: sario, director and actor, not a librarian. to this call, and since then thousands of “I know about the many mistakes we Still, he gets down to the task of bibli- books have been stored in banana boxes. have made. You know about the mistakes ographic collection of titles of all pub- Today the motto “In the banana boxes of that you made. It will take a long time, lishers of the former GDR in all editions. the West lies the knowledge of the East” because what we want to achieve is relat- Each book is collected in two copies: can be seen in the small theatre that Peter ed to education and culture. There were one as a reference copy, the other to be Sodann operates in Staucha. attempts in the German Democratic Re- lent. The books are registered by publish- It is Peter Sodann’s concern that peo- public, attempts in the Soviet Union, at- ers. In the GDR, there were 150 state-li- ple remember the story: “Forget is the tempts wherever communist or at least censed publishers. Peter Sodann then cal- mother of neglect”. Many of his friends socialist thinking prevailed and things culated how many meters of shelf-space had written books during GDR times, emerged; there were these attempts to was needed for the entire book produc- and now they are already forgotten. The have an educated people, to have a clev- tion of these publishers: There are ten book landscape in eastern Germany has er people. I was allowed to study again kilometers of shelves. He could bid on changed radically since 1990. Of the from the very bottom. Since I am grate- the necessary shelves by a happy coinci- original 150 state-licensed publishers of ful to the State I cannot condemn it. That dence. The German National Library in GDR there exist barely a dozen in an in- this very state locked me up and told me dependent form. The number of employ- that I was a counterrevolutionary, who I continued on page 16 No 14 2 June 2015 Current Concerns Page 16

”Literature is culture …” continued from page 15 Library lest we forget “I come from a reading country (where ions with a large library, there was the Leipzig was redesigned. The old shelves people read a lot). Literature was an house of the German-Soviet Friendship were left behind and could be purchased enclave for hopes, dreams, ideals. The with a library, there were the branch- cheaply – Sodann had to offer just a little clashes took place in the books, which es of the city library. The important more than the scrap dealer. were willingly prevented in real life. thing about them were not the collect- There are still many not unpacked Literature was meant to enlighten, to ed and catalogued books, but the real boxes of books, and a lot of help would connect, to deliver backgrounds, where estates that were in demand and were be necessary for the project. If adding the they should not have been. Books de- to be sold. The literature was no longer entire stock, there are around four mil- scribed the everyday life beyond mealy- lust but burden. Trucks drove up, were mouthed ideology. The authors and loaded with the printed and suddenly lion books. Meanwhile 600,000 books poets were respected. They received now worthless paper and headed to the are digitally recorded. prizes and awards and Stasi files, which urban garbage dump. Forward and not In 2007, the association “Peter Sodann sometimes contained more pages than forgotten? At that time, the book burn- Library e.V.” was founded. Purpose of the the poet had ever written. That much ing by the Nazis came to my mind. Now, association is to promote, maintain or ex- attention was paid to them. Perhaps however, the process was much less pand a collection of literature published rightly so, because in the good books, spectacular. Who cared? It happened in the Soviet Occupation Zone and the even in those of Soviet authors (such quietly, without resistance. I tried to call GDR from 1945–1990. The collection as Valentin Rasputin, Chingiz Aitmatov to halt the machinations, but no one lis- should be available to the public in a ref- or Vasily Shukshin), there was already tened to me. That’s why I decided, at thought and told what then, in 1989, that time, to set up – whenever and if erence library. The association advocates led to the turnaround. possible at all – a library where all the the prevention of the continued loss by Ideas once conceived could not be books are to be found that have gone the destruction of publications such as prohibited, they were in the world and over the counter at GDR times since 8 fiction, children’s literature, science, cul- stayed in the world. The ideas were fol- May 1945 according to Schabowski best ture and sport and many others from the lowed by action. Then the turnaround and most sensible statement: ‘The Wall time between 1945–1990, and is commit- came over Germany, the divided fa- is open’.“ ted to its preservation and storage. therland became one again, promoted from: Peter Sodann. “Mai-Reden und an- In March 2007, 15 workers began by the East. But what happened to the dere Provolationen”, March 2002. “Bib- to arrange and catalogue the Sodann literature of the East? In Halle on the liothek gegen das Vergessen”, Stuttgart, Saale, there was a clubhouse of the un- 2nd edition 2008, p.130f. book collection as part of a job creation scheme. In November 2007, a second project with the same staff started. Federal Voluntary Service. Although visitors remember “their” lamp, they are Now a young man helps with catalo- much is still to be done, the visitor nev- open to the past and mentally prepared gizing the books as an employee of the ertheless gets a good insight into the for the play. structure of the library. One would like We can only hope that the planned Giving hope to humans to delve into the depths of the library and “Akademie gegen das Vergessen” (Acad- examine the literature. emy against forgetting) may soon begin “Giving people hope, but not the hope Today an attempt is made to secure its work. Then there will also be a cul- of election posters, but the hope of a tural island with a library, theatre and peaceful life without terror and vio- the library’s finances via the sale of lence, the hope of a life in deep harmo- books (www.antiquariat-peter-sodann. research center in Staucha, which will ny with the world, that is what we can de). There are books to buy that are re- have a tremendous influence far beyond do and what we must do. If this hope dundant or not belonging to the collec- the regional level. 25 years after the ac- still exists – and it does exist, the uto- tion field, i.e. that have been published cession of the GDR to the scope of influ- pian dreams of a better living togeth- before 1945 or after 1990. ence of the West German “Grundgesetz” er of human beings, I am firmly con- The theatre is still a particular con- (Basic Law), it is time that the GDR is vinced of that. The only possibility to cern of Peter Sodann. He has been im- no longer painted in black and white, but leave behind the misery of wars, hun- presario of the theatre in Halle for many take a closer look is taken – to face the ger and distress is by education and years and has established a cultural is- people in the GDR and their achieve- culture. This is not a modest, but a nec- essary task.” land in the heart of the city for more than ments with justice and equality, with- 20 years. out a know-it-all attitude. That would from: Peter Sodann. “Mai-Reden und andere Provolationen”, March 2002. Here in Staucha Sodann shows us his be beneficial for all Germans. “Criti- “Bibliothek gegen das Vergessen”, Stutt- theatre in the province, which should be cal analysis” means honesty and respect gart, 2nd edition 2008, from the chap- a political theatre. The entire ceiling is in dealing with the history and cultur- ter “Fragen eines lesenden Arbeiters” festooned with old lamps from GDR pro- al achievements of the other. It was a (Questions asked by a reading worker), p. 151 duction. Sodann knows what happens in real pleasure for us to get to know Peter the audience when the lights go on: The Sodann. •